Flush valve



Se t. 26, 1933. L. L. KAUFFMAN FLUSH VALVE Filed May 23, 1932 INVENTOR jjgzher L. ll au ffman A1,; AT foRNEY Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED "STATES PA E "O Application May 23, 1932. Serial No. 612,887

3 Claims. (Cl. 4-,-57)

My present invention relates to valve heads and more particularly to flush valve heads such as are used in water closets, and it has for its object to provide a simple, effective and durable valve head of this nature that can be manufactured at a very low cost. A further object of the invention is to produce a valve of this character which, when made of a given size, will be adaptable to and effective with valve seats of relatively different sizes.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combination of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through the flush tank of a water closet fitted with a valve mechanism embodying a valve head. constructed in accordancewithand illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig.2 is an enlarged central vertical section through the head;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of .the latter, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom view.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Referring more particularly to the. drawing, 1

indicates a flush tank adapted to be. drained by its seat when the tank is, nearly empty both by gravity and the suction of the rushing water, and

it is common practice to construct the head of a hollow flexible rubber ball which softens and becomes distorted in use and when punctured becomes waterlogged and unfit for use. In the practice of my invention, I form the head of metal or other hard and stiff durable material, preferably one of the more non-corrosive'metals, from which it can be cast or spun into shape from one piece orintegrally. The upper half or dome is hemispherical,as indicated at 7 and merges intoa lower tapered portion having the form of an inverted truncated cone, as indicated at 8. The'taperor flare is that of the seat 3 or approximately the same degree so that the head will settle snugly in the seat, as shown in Fig. 1.

The external surface of such tapered lower portion is covered with a relatively soft but durable material that is water-resisting or which will at least deteriorate very slowly under water and yet will make a snug watertight fit with the valve seat. I have'found cork and felt to be well adapted for this purpose. Such strip or covering, indicated at 9, is preferably cemented to the head and in addition, the lower edge of the truncated portion 8 is flanged over to constitute a clamping bead 10 that not only secures the lower edge of the covering but protects it from such glancing contacts with the seat as would tend to injure it or tear it loose. This bead is easily formed if the head is spun into shape.

The bottom of the float head is open, as indicated at 11, and it operates on the principle that enough air is always trapped therein as it becomes submerged to give it sufficient buoyancy once it is raised free from the valve into the body of water in the tank free from the suction of the flush pipe 2 anduntil that body is so depleted that the head is drawn back to its seat as intended and as before described. The domelike shape illustrated provides an air chamber for this purpose of good capacity.

With such a construction as I have produced,

a highly durable, sure-acting valve is provided which cannot become distorted or waterlogged. Furthermore, a valve head of a given size can be used with and will work with accuracy and efficiency on valve seats of different diameters or sizes within a limited range as the tapered contact portion will seat equally well on several diameters within the "width of the covering or contact element 9.

cated cone, the bottom thereof being entirely open, and the tapered sides having a regular surface and being covered with a relatively soft material cemented thereto for making contact with the valve seat.

an inverted truncated cone, the bottom thereof being entirely open and the lower edge being the form of a truncated cone, the bottom thereof being entirely open and the lower edge being flanged over to constitute a clamping bead, of a sheet of relatively soft material for making contact with the valve seat, said material covering the lower conical portion and being fastened at its lower edge by the bead.

LUTHER L. KAUFFMAN. 

